SUPREME COURT PASSES INTERIM DIRECTION TO LAKSHADWEEP ASKING INCLUSION OF MEAT IN SCHOOL CHILDREN’S MIDDAY MEALS

The Supreme Court in the case observed Ajmal Ahmed versus Union of India and others observed to include non-vegetarian food items meat and chicken in the midday meals for school children and to continue the functioning of dairy farms in the region and an interim order passed by the Kerala High Court which directed the Lakshadweep administration to comply with the same.

Thew petitioner argued before the supreme court in an petition filled that the food menu violates the right to choice of food under Article 21 of the Constitution and that the changes interfere with the traditional food habits of the island inhabitants the inhabitants of Lakshadweep engaged mostly in Government activities to eke out their livelihood was contented by the petitioner It was contended to bring grave consequences to the people on the islands the Administrator’s directed to immediately close down all the dairy farms run by the Department of Animal Husbandry and holding auctions.

The administration asserted that the changed menu was decided on the basis of recommendations of experts and that it caters to the nutritional needs of the children and the National Food Security Act 2013 does not mandate the supply of non-vegetarian food. the menu was altered to suit the kind of food locally available; an administration stand that was accepted by the High Court.

In June 2021 an interim order had been passed to put a stay on the administration’s decisions by the High Court before dismissing the petition.

On 22th June, 2021 the Division Bench of the High Court had passed the following directions:

Continuing of the dairy farms until further orders and the earlier system should continue Food, including meat, chicken, fish and egg, and other items, prepared and served to the school going children of Lakshadweep, as done in the past, should be continued until further orders. To make it clear.

A bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and AS Bopanna passed the order while issuing notice in a Special Leave Petition filed against the September 2021 judgment of the Kerala High Court which dismissed a PIL challenging the Lakshadweep administration’s decision to exclude chicken and meat from mid-day meals and to close down the dairy farms in the region.

The bench comprising of Justice Indira Banerjee and the justice AS Bopanna observed and dismissed a PIL challenging the Lakshadweep administration’s decision to exclude chicken and meat from mid-day meals and to close down the dairy farms in the region. The bench further issued notice in a Special Leave Petition filed against the September 2021 judgment of the Kerala High Court.

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